Tiner-Hendrick House
Built in 1887, the Tiner-Hendrick House in Sutherland Springs is a two-story wood-frame I-house, a vernacular form brought to Texas from the Upland South. Characterized by its symmetrical facade and central hall plan, the structure reflects a once-common rural building tradition that is now increasingly scarce. Originally modest in design, the house evolved over time, with additions that reflected changing domestic needs and increased prosperity, including rear ells and expanded porch structures.
J.L. Tiner, the home’s original owner, documented its construction in detail through handwritten diaries, noting how wood and brick were sourced, and describing day-to-day activities. These records provide valuable insight into late 19th-century building practices and rural life in South Central Texas. The house and its accompanying narrative offer a glimpse into a middle-class settler family’s experiences during a period of regional transition.
Encroaching development has compromised the property’s original rural setting. Relocating the house to a more secure and contextually appropriate site would allow for the reestablishment of its historical landscape and better interpretation of its original use. Preservation Texas has offered assistance with planning and documentation, recognizing the opportunity to use the Tiner-Hendrick House as a platform for public education on rural architecture, local history, and the experience of Texans in the post-Reconstruction era.
UPDATE - January 2026: The Friends of the Tiner-Hendrick House group was formed to save the historic structure and approached the owner about donating it so that it could be relocated, interpreted, and used at a new site. The donation is being facilitated through a fiscal sponsorship with the Sutherland Springs Museum. The house will be moved to an empty parcel adjacent to the historic Polley Mansion, approximately three miles from its current location.
UPDATE - June 2026: The Tiner-Hendrick House has been successfully relocated to its new home along FM 539 near the Polley Mansion, an 1847 limestone home in La Vernia that was included on Preservation Texas’s Most Endangered Places list in 2016 and has since been restored.
The Friends of the Tiner-Hendrick House hired Fowler House Movers to divide the structure into five sections and carefully transport it 3.5 miles north to its new site. Three generations of the Tiner family were present to witness the move, marking a major milestone in preserving this important historic landmark.
At its new location, the house will be restored, interpreted, and eventually serve as the home of a historian-in-residence program that complements the programs of Polley Mansion. To learn more or make a donation, visit friendsofthetinerhouse.blogspot.com
LOCATION: Sutherland Springs, Wilson County
DESIGNATION: None
STATUS: In progress
RESOURCE TYPE: Residence
YEAR ADDED TO MEP LIST: 2025
